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News Release 

CITIBANK   vs.   SEX

 Vancouver Erotic Arts Gallery Organizes Boycott Of World’s Largest Bank

February 2003

Citibank Canada, a subsidiary of the largest financial services organization in the world, has refused merchant credit card services to Vancouver retailer The Art of Loving solely on the ground that it sells sexual products.

The Art of Loving operates a gallery featuring erotic art produced by British Columbia artists. It also offers seminars on relationships and sexuality. It has a retail section selling books as well as lubricants, condoms, and sexual toys and games.

“Citibank is guilty of anti-sexual discrimination,” says Art of Loving co-founder John Ince. “To refuse to do business with a merchant just because it sells sexual products reflects unhealthy negative attitudes towards human sexuality, sex products and sex retailers. If a bank rejected merchants who sell “homosexual products”, or “Jewish products”, everyone would recognize the prejudice against homosexuals or Jews. A blanket policy aimed at all sexual products reveals an analogous prejudice against sex.” 

Officials at Citibank Canada advise that the policy originates in the New York office of the bank, and that Citibank Canada is not free to set its own policies in this regard. Canadian banking officials report that there is no evidence that merchants selling sexual products in retail stores pose any unusual business risk.

“Citibank’s policies are socially harmful,” says Ince.  “In the same way that official discrimination against homosexuals or Jews helps perpetuate negative attitudes towards homosexuals and Jews, blanket stereotyping against sexual retailers express the message that sexuality and sexual products are somehow illicit and shameful. This is unacceptable in the 21^st century.” 

No other Canadian bank has similar anti-sexual policies. Ince surveyed every major Canadian financial organization and none said they would refuse his firm or any storefront business solely because sexual products were part of the inventory. “Citibank policies are clearly out of step with prevailing Canadian banking practice,” says Ince. “It is a classic example of a multi-national corporation imposing foreign standards on Canadians.” 

The Retail Council of Canada sends members seeking merchant credit card services to Citibank through an affiliation program. “By partnering with a foreign bank that imposes discriminatory policies on Canadian merchants, the Retail Council of Canada implicitly endorses such policies,” says Ince.  “I urge the Council to find another banking partner unless Citibank changes its policies.” 

In the past, boycott campaigns encouraging Citibank’s 30 million credit card holders to tear up their cards have been successful in getting Citibank to change its policies. Ince hopes the same strategy will work again. “I urge anyone holding a Citibank credit card to tell the bank that they intend to take their business elsewhere unless Citibank immediately terminates its anti-sexual practices.” Individuals can also protest Citibank’s policy via The Art of Loving website: www.theartofloving.ca

Boycott Citibank

Register your opposition to Citibank's antisexual policies